


Odds

by inkahgase



Category: GOT7
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Hook-Up, Suggestive Themes, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:16:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21564007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkahgase/pseuds/inkahgase
Summary: Based on the song Odds by Niki. Please listen for context.
Relationships: Mark Tuan/You
Kudos: 7





	Odds

“Cheers!”

Clinking your shot glasses together, you and your best friend Niki tipped your heads back and allowed the burning liquor to course down your throats. Slamming the shot glass down on the bar, you ungraciously wiped your mouth with the back of your hand before reaching for the lime. Biting down on it, you allowed the citrus goodness to soothe your taste buds before putting the remnants in the shot glass for the bartender to collect. 

“One more,” Niki held a single finger up as she smirked and you rolled your eyes. 

“That was already our fifth one,” you reminded her. “I don’t plan on walking out of here completely inebriated.”

“I don’t plan on walking out of here without a man between my legs.”

Snorting, you smacked her arm playfully and you reminded her that she only just got out of a relationship and should probably slow it down. Rolling her eyes, Niki leaned in and flicked you on the forehead, reminding you that you should be the one out there looking for a new man instead of pining for an unattainable one.

“That’s a low blow,” you scoffed at her. Her statement brought you back to the thoughts you’d been trying to escape from since last week. Since you last saw  _ him _ .

Niki brought her hands up in defense. “I’m just saying,” she slurred. “You deserve better than this. You deserve more than this.”

“I don’t give a shit about what I deserve,” you replied before flagging the bartender for another drink. “He’s the one that I want.”

Niki sighed then wrapped her arms around you, peppering your face with kisses in apology. She reached for the shot glasses and handed one to you. With raised glasses, she offered to do a toast. “ _ May the odds be ever in your favour _ .”

“I’ll drink to that.”

As soon as you slammed the shot glass back down on the oak bar for the sixth time that night, you felt the hairs on your arms start to rise. A familiar warmth enveloped your body and it wasn’t caused by the liquid courage coursing through your veins. It could only mean one thing.  _ He’s here _ .

“Oh, would you look at that?” Niki giggled in your ear. “Lover boy is here.”

Whatever smart retort you had for her ended up stuck in your throat when his familiar scent wafted through the air and you felt his presence within proximity. 

“Well, if it isn’t the infamous Mark Tuan,” Niki confirmed your assumptions as she greeted him. “What brings you to our end of town?”

“Niki,” Mark’s deep voice invaded your senses. You knew you shouldn’t have had that much to drink. “I’m just visiting an old friend.”

_ Friend _ . Of course. What were the odds?

“Hey Mark,” you turned to smile at him and cursed the butterflies that fluttered in your belly when he smiled back.

“Hi,” Mark greeted back, flashing you his perfect smile with his perfect teeth.

Rolling her eyes, Niki grabbed her purse and squeezed your hand to grab your attention. “I guess I’ll leave you two to it then,” she announced. With a sly smirk she turned to you and added, “don’t forget to call Jaebeom tonight.”

With a wink, she disappeared into the night before you could strangle her.  _ Damn that cockblocking bitch—  _

Mark cleared his throat to garner your attention and you stiffened, forgetting for a moment that he was right behind you and had surely heard what Niki blurted out before she left. You were proven right when he asked with a smirk, “Who’s Jaebeom?”

Smirking back, you flagged the bartender down for another drink before answering Mark’s question with one of your own. “How’s Holly?”

Mark chuckled — a sound that you had missed terribly — before reaching out to grab his beer. With keen eyes, you watched as Mark brought the bottle to his lips and observed the way his adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he drank. Mark smirked as he caught you in the act, bringing his face close to yours to snap you out of your trance. “Ladies, first,” he smiled.

Grabbing your vodka raspberry from the counter, you brought it to your lips for a few sips before answering his question. “He’s someone I’m meant to be seeing,” you said truthfully. “We went on a date the other night and it was…  _ okay. _ ”

You didn’t miss the way Mark’s jaw tightened at your words. After another sip of his beer, he managed to compose himself. “Just okay?”

“Yeah, he’s a great guy and it was a great date, but if we were truly being honest with each other, we both knew that neither of us are who the other wanted.”

“Hm. But, you’re still seeing him?”

Shrugging, you took another sip from your drink. “We’re just seeing how it goes, I guess,” you replied nonchalantly. “Your turn. Who ended it this time? You or Holly?”

“ _ Me _ .”

Stunned, you turned to face him with raised brows and you were met with his infamous chuckle yet again. Mark droned on about the boring details of why he was off again with his on-again/off-again girlfriend Holly, but his words just went in one ear and out the other. You couldn’t find yourself to care; this was nothing new to Mark and it was nothing new to you. All you really cared about was the fact that he was single again and that he was there to see  _ you _ .

“You don’t really give a shit, do you?” Mark scoffed upon seeing your expressionless face.

“I don’t,” you replied candidly before sculling the rest of your drink. “Neither do you.”

Mark followed suit with his beer. “You’re damn right.”

Everything happened so quickly after that admission that you weren’t even sure who made the first move. You didn’t even realise you were in your apartment already until Mark shoved you hard against the wall, and you noticed your familiar kitchen over his shoulder as he nuzzled his face into the juncture of your neck.

“God, I missed you,” he whispered against your skin and you pulled his face back to yours, lengthening his kiss.

“Prove it,” you whispered against his lips, challenging him. Mark let out a growl before gripping your hips so hard that you were sure you were going to bruise for days and pulled you into him.

Prove it, he did. With his hands and lips roaming your body. Clothing soon littered the path to your bedroom, where you spent countless hours of the night with tangled limbs underneath messy sheets. His name spilled from your lips mixed with his cries of yours every time he tumbled over the edge echoed in your room.

“What are you thinking about?” Mark asked, face turned to you as he laid on his stomach beside you, trying to regain his breath. 

You chuckled, laying on your back as you stared at the ceiling. “You don’t want me to answer that,” you breathed out. 

“You’re trying to figure us out, again?” Mark raised his head.

“Always.”

Mark sighed, extending his arm across your stomach and pulling you right up against him. “Why do you keep doing this?” he asked as he cuddled into your side.

“You already know the answer to that,” you sighed as you turned to face him, nuzzling your nose against his.

“I do,” Mark sighed again before meeting your lips in a languid kiss.

Moments passed as you both just laid there, enjoying each other’s presence. This time, it was Mark who broke the silence. “Do you remember when we met?”

A wide smile plastered itself on your face. “How can I forget the day this boy from Arcadia found himself lost in Venice?”

Mark chuckled with you as the two of you reminisced everything that had happened so far.

* * *

Mark and his friends came down to Venice Beach from Arcadia for the weekend to celebrate his friend’s birthday. They found themselves stumbling into the same bar where he found you tonight and as soon as he spotted your figure sitting on the bar like he did tonight, he just knew. He knew he had to have you.

He approached you that night and his charm had you reeling. One thing led to another and you’d pretty much spent that whole weekend locked away in your apartment, getting to know each other in many different ways. 

Everything had started off casual, neither of you wanting to commit due to distance and your career — you were busy working for a publishing company — but there was no doubt that the attraction was there. That attraction that gradually led to something more, the longer the relationship continued. 

You were caught off guard however, when you were in his side of town for a work conference, to find his arm wrapped around another woman’s shoulders. Mark was shocked too, not expecting to see you the night that he was on a date with Holly. You were in no place to complain though, that was the nature of your relationship. That was not meant to be a surprise to either of you.

Though it didn’t stop your heart from aching, you’d given him your blessing and went on your way. It was Mark, who ran to catch up to you, asking if you two could still be friends. He realised too late, when he saw you walk away from him, that he couldn’t see a life without you in it. 

You knew it was dangerous but you agreed, knowing you were in too deep, drowning in your feelings.  _ This was better than nothing _ , you thought. But you couldn’t be more wrong. 

You missed him.  _ Terribly _ . So much that as soon as he came back in town to tell you that he and Holly broke up, you ended up picking up where things left off. 

The next few months were almost exactly like the beginning except that time, Mark was finally ready to take the next step with you. His feelings for you evolved and he was willing to step over that line despite the distance, but there was one thing hindering him from doing so.  _ You _ .

It’s not that you weren’t ready to take the leap, you were falling as deep and fast as he was, but your career had taken off a lot faster than expected and you became a lot busier. So busy that it took its toll on your relationship. You weren’t able to see Mark as often since he was out of town, which he understood since he could always come and see you. The only problem was when he did, you weren’t available.

Your new role brought new responsibilities with it which meant you barely spent time out of work. Every time Mark had told you he was in town, you had to tell him that you were caught up with work and he was left spending his time alone within the four walls of your apartment. When you did manage to catch him, those times were spent with raised voices, arguing about who was letting the relationship down. 

Was it Mark who couldn’t understand the position you were in? Or was it you that couldn’t see that Mark was finally trying to commit?

Whoever’s fault it was, Mark was at breaking point. Though instead of talking to you about it, he decided to break it to you in typical Mark fashion.  _ He sent a text _ . Though it wasn’t your preferred method, it was the contents of the text that broke your heart. 

_ Holly’s back _ _ .  _

You laughed bitterly, knowing what his words truly meant. She wasn’t just back in town. She was back in his life. 

_ Of course she is _ _ ,  _ you sent back. There was nothing more to say. 

Mark gripped his phone tightly, afraid that he would throw it across the room. It was his turn to laugh bitterly this time, before shooting you another text.  _ Is that all you have to say? _

Mark’s reply stunned you. Did he expect you to fight for him? You would’ve.  _ You should’ve _ . But you were hurt and the action that your mind decided to take was flight.  _ Does it even matter? You’ve already made up your mind. _

_ You made it up for me _ _ . _ Mark’s response was swift, pointing the blame straight at you. 

_ If I was in charge of your decisions, you would still be here, beneath me as I ride you into oblivion instead of settling for someone that you know could never compare _ _ .  _ He asked for it so you gave it to him.

Mark scoffed, even though he knew you had him. You always had and you always would.  _ You and I are through _ _ . _

Giggling, you messaged back for the last time.  _ Keep telling yourself that _ _ . _

Not even a week later, Mark turned up at your front door, cursing you and telling you that you had ruined everything. You yelled back, telling him not to blame his issues with Holly on you. Fuming, you asked him to leave, informing him that your date was on the way and would be there any minute now. 

“You’re unbelievable,” Mark spat out. “You? Going out on a date?”

“Yes, I am,” you scoffed. “You can have a girlfriend. So the way I see it, I can go on a date.”

“But, you couldn’t go out on a date with me?” Mark laughed sarcastically. “I waited months for you. To tell you I was  _ ready _ . To tell you that  _ you were all I ever wanted _ and you couldn’t spare me one date.”

“What?” you asked confused. “You never told me any of this.”

“How could I? You basically had no time for me—”

“I would’ve made time for this—”

“Then why didn’t you?” Mark yelled out frustrated. “God, I’m such a fool. I’m out of here.”

Mark turned his back to you and started to make his way to the front door. He was about to turn the knob when you said something that made him stop. “What did you say?”

“I’ll make time for you,” you repeated, louder and stronger this time.

“When? After you realise this date is nothing compared to me?” he threw your words back at you.

“I already know he’s nothing compared to you. I’ll make time for you.  _ Right now _ .”

“Prove it,” Mark challenged and you answered.

Grabbing your purse from the kitchen counter, you fished your phone out and dialed your date’s number. “Hey Jackson,” you said as you locked eyes with Mark. “Listen, I’ll have to take a raincheck on tonight. Something’s come up. Yeah, nothing I can’t handle. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

You barely got the words ‘goodbye’ out of your mouth before Mark made his way to you, grabbing the phone off you and hanging up as he crashed his lips against yours in a fiery kiss. Mark’s impatience showed as his hands roamed your body. It wasn’t long before he slung you over his shoulder and tossed you on the bed, making up with you by making love to you.

The cycle began again. And again. And again.

You often wondered how much more of this you could take, but one look at him and you knew.  _ You would never give him up. _

* * *

“I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve done this,” you said wistfully. “Sometimes, a part of me wants to give you up, but the part that wants to keep fighting is a lot larger. A lot stronger. I know it’s pathetic, but I couldn’t care less.”

Turning to face Mark, you found him sound asleep, snoring softly with his head resting on your shoulder. Brushing away the hair from his face, you studied his profile, etching it in your memory, knowing full well that there was a high chance he would disappear by morning.

Just as you started to mentally prepare yourself for the loneliness the morning would bring, a thought crossed your mind. You remembered the toast Niki did for you before Mark turned up at the bar.  _ May the odds be ever in your favour _ , she said. 

The odds. The more you thought about it, the more you realised that they were never in your favour. Worst of all, you realised that you had done nothing to change your fate, choosing to ride the waves instead. 

Thinking back to the time that Mark had told you he was willing to step over the line, you thought about what you had done to show him you were willing to do the same. You came up short. Every time he left, you always told yourself that your love for him was bigger than his love for you and yet, you had done nothing to show him that.

You finally realised that you were the reason for the mess you were in.

If anything was to change with your relationship with Mark, it would be your turn to take that leap. It would be you that would have to take that risk.  _ Were you willing to do whatever it took to change the odds? _

You already knew the answer. When it was about Mark, it was the only answer.

_ Yes _ .

So, even though he was fast asleep in your arms, you took the leap, hoping that somehow your words would reach him. That somehow, your words would be enough.

“I love you, Mark Tuan,” you whispered, before pressing your lips to his. “I always have and I always will. I’m yours, in every way you’ll have me.”

Slumber came for you as the words slipped from your lips and you gladly accepted it. As soon as you were fast asleep, Mark’s eyes shot open, his heart thundering in his chest. 

Mark was awake when you freely confessed your feelings. He heard every word you uttered and felt the truth in your kiss. 

Sighing heavily, he knew he had a decision to make. He prayed that he would make the right one.

* * *

The cold and empty sheets beside you the next morning came to you as no surprise. Neither was the note on the top of his pillow. This was Mark’s calling card. You were used to it by now. However, what did surprise you was what was written on the note.

_ I heard what you said last night when you thought I was asleep. Every single word.  _

Sitting up, you read the words over and over to make sure you understood them correctly. He heard you. _He heard_ _you__._ You flipped the note over hoping there would be something else written there — a declaration of love, perhaps — or anything, but there was nothing. Unsure of what this could mean, you laid back on the bed, and for the first time in a long time, you cried at the thought of not having Mark in your life.

* * *

A whole month passed without a word from Mark. Neither of you sought each other out, both choosing to see how fate would play out. Sure it hurt, but you didn’t want to give up just yet. You were waiting, hoping that things would work out in your favour.

When you were close to giving up, Niki reminded you that you shouldn’t. No matter how unhealthy your relationship with Mark was, she realised that he truly made you happy and when you told her that you took the step needed to try and make things better, she became more accepting of it. She would remind you that no matter what the world threw at you and Mark, you both still ended up together. She firmly believed that would still be the case. You wished you were as confident as her.

Sighing for the  _ nth _ time, you adjusted your outfit for the day. You had an important meeting, one that you couldn’t miss since it would be beneficial for your career. Grabbing your handbag, you took a deep breath to calm yourself before heading out the door.

Except you couldn’t because something was blocking your path. 

Not something.  _ Someone _ _ . _

_ Mark Tuan. _

Mark Tuan was standing outside of your apartment, in all his glory, flashing you the biggest smile he could muster. A smile you couldn’t help but mirror.

“Hi,” Mark greeted cheerfully. “It’s been awhile hasn’t it?”

“It has,” you replied back hesitantly, unsure of where the conversation was going as the note he left you flashed in your mind. “You look good.”

“Not as good as you.”

Neither of you made a move to speak after that, opting to stare at each other intensely instead. Mark broke the trance first, his gaze moving to the bag strapped to your shoulders and the outfit you were wearing.

“Off to work?” he asked warily. Mark had already made up his mind but he decided to test you one last time, making sure that he was making the right decision.

“I am,” you answered, though the thought of work and your important meeting were far from your mind.

Mark took a deep breath and went for it. “Since I’m here,” he started and forced himself to continue despite being nervous about your decision. “You should… I don’t know, like, call up your boss. Probably take the day off. Maybe we could change these odds?”

You smiled, fishing up your phone from your purse and calling your boss without a second thought. “Hey Jinyoung. I can’t make it today. Something came up. Yes, I know it’s the most important meeting of my career but trust me, it’s not as important as this.”

Just like many times before, Mark didn’t even wait till you hung up the phone before his lips were on yours as he ushered you back into your home. With insistent lips, he made up for all the times he spent not kissing you.

“ _ God, I’m so in love with you _ ,” Mark declared and you smiled before pulling his face to meet yours and deepening the kiss.

“Prove it,” you challenged, laughing and filled with joy.

Prove it, he did.


End file.
